Outcomes of the Meeting of the Joint Steering Committee Held in Brisbane, Australia, 18-20 October 1999

This is a summary of the most important decisions made by the JSC at its meeting in Brisbane. A complete list of the topics discussed is contained in the agenda.

Alignment of AACR2 with ISBD(ER)

A Task Force of the ALA Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access (CC:DA) has undertaken a detailed review of AACR2 to bring the rules into alignment with the ISBD(ER), published in 1997. The first set of recommendations was presented to the JSC in November 1998, and the final set was considered at the Brisbane meeting. Brian Schottlaender, the ALA representative, will document the decisions made by JSC and identify any outstanding issues.

JSC endorsed most of the recommendations, with some modifications. As a result, there will be a substantial revision of Chapter 9 and some revision of other parts of the rules, including the glossary. The following changes are the most significant:

• The term “computer file” will be replaced by the term “electronic resource,” including in the GMD.
• The scope of Chapter 9 will be broadened to include new types of electronic resources, including interactive multimedia.
• The chief source of information for describing an electronic will be the entire resource itself.
• Further clarification will be provided on what constitutes a new edition of an electronic resource.
• More specific terms than are currently specified, indicating the type of electronic resource being catalogued, will be used in the Type and Extent of Resource Area (currently the File Characteristics Area), beginning with the word “electronic.” These terms will be included in a new appendix.
• JSC will ask CC:DA to prepare a rule revision recommending the removal of the option to omit electronic (currently computer) from the type of resource designation when GMDs are used. JSC will consider the removal of this option from the rest of the code.
• The terms “CD-ROM,” “Photo CD,” and “DVD” will be used directly in the Physical Description Area.
• The term “disk” will be used throughout, rather than “disk” and “disc.”
• Examples will be updated throughout Chapter 9 to include more current examples, particularly those appropriate for networked resources.
• The glossary and index will be substantially revised.

JSC thanks the Task Force for their thorough and detailed consideration of the issues.

Return to Top of Page

Revising AACR2 to Accommodate Seriality

JSC considered the recommendations contained in the report Revising AACR2 to Accommodate Seriality, prepared by Jean Hirons with the assistance of Regina Reynolds, Judy Kuhagen, and the CONSER AACR Review Task Force. Most of the recommendations were endorsed, with some modifications.

Four major initiatives will now be pursued.

1. New introduction to AACR2

   The Library Association/British Library Committee on AACR (LA/BL) will be asked to prepare a draft of an expanded introduction to AACR2. Among other things, this new introduction should include a statement that major changes require the creation of new bibliographic records, whereas minor changes do not.

2. Development of a prototype

   JSC will pursue the development of a prototype to test the feasibility of the recommendations proposing changes to the structure of AACR2, Part I, including:

   • reorganising Part 1 of AACR2 into chapters according to the ISBD areas of the record;
   • including the rules for changes to data with the rules for specific areas (or, alternatively, providing references to these rules);
   • defining two types of publication: finite and continuing;
   • defining the chief source of information for all bibliographic resources as the whole resource, using the source that provides the most complete information for the area being described;
   • adopting the terminology of “major changes” and “minor changes.”

3. Revisions to AACR2

   Jean Hirons will be asked by the Chair of JSC to coordinate the preparation of a revision of Chapter 12 and other relevant parts of AACR2 to incorporate the changes agreed to by the JSC, including:

   • adding and revising some definitions;
   • providing rules for the description of integrating resources;
   • permitting the correction of obvious inaccuracies rather than transcribing them;
   • providing alternatives for dealing with introductory words preceding the title proper, rather than transcribing them as part of the title proper (to be extended to all bibliographic resources);
   • providing alternatives for recording other title information for continuing resources;
   • providing alternatives for cases in which a serial lacks a designation on the first issue;
   • permitting the use of chronological designation (and other alternatives, if there is no chronological designation) when the numbering of a serial begins again;
   • omitting the date of publication when it is not supplied (to be extended to all bibliographic resources);
   • permitting the inclusion of notes on titles by which the serial is known other than the title proper (to be extended to all bibliographic resources);
   • adding a new rule for all successively issued or frequently updated bibliographic resources, requiring the identification of the item used as the basis for the description;
   • revising some parts of rule 21.2A1 (which specifies when the title proper is considered to have changed).

4. New appendix to AACR2

   CC:DA will be asked to prepare a draft of an appendix to AACR2 defining what constitute major and minor changes.

Recommendations that JSC did not agree with included the following:

• the inclusion of some of the proposed definitions (e.g., finite, continuing, database, Web site);
• the recording of title, statement of responsibility, and edition statement from the latest piece in hand or the latest iteration as it appears at the time of cataloguing for all continuing resources (JSC decided this should apply to integrating resources only);
• the proposals dealing with place of publication and name of publisher when they change (JSC decided that this information should be placed in a note);
• the use of angle brackets in notes to indicate the known dates to which the information applies;
• the proposal that any change to or rearrangement of the first three words of the title proper should be considered a major change (JSC decided that the current conditions should be retained);
• the proposal that relationship notes created according to rule 12.7B7 should be referred to as relationship links;
• the proposal to make compulsory the maintenance of relationship notes.

JSC supported in principle the recommendation to provide a uniform title added entry instead of assigning a uniform title for a continuing resource that is a translation of an existing work or that is a language edition. However, it would prefer that this rule be applied to all bibliographic resources. The Library of Congress will prepare a discussion paper on this issue.

Clarification is being sought from Jean Hirons on the recommendation to apply special guidelines for the application of successive and latest entry conventions when cataloguing electronic journals. JSC is not convinced that special rules are needed.

JSC thanks Jean Hirons and her colleagues for their thorough consideration of the issues in their report. It also thanks the people who provided comments on the report.

Return to Top of Page

Recommendations Concerning Revision of Rule 0.24

JSC considered the three recommendations contained in the paper prepared by the CC:DA Task Force on Rule 0.24 containing proposals for the revision of rule 0.24.

Recommendation 1 for a change to the text of rule 0.24 was endorsed by JSC. The proposed new text stresses the importance of bringing out all the aspects of the item being described. JSC supported the staged approach suggested, allowing the rule to be changed immediately, and further modified should Part I of AACR2 be reorganised according to ISBD area.

JSC partially endorsed Recommendation 2. It agreed that the format variation question is in need of resolution, and that cataloguers would benefit from guidance as to when to create new records. JSC also agreed that a new appendix to AACR2 would be the best vehicle for providing that guidance. JSC reserved judgement on whether Option C presented by the Task Force is the best approach to resolving the format variation question. Comments will be solicited from JSC constituents before a final decision is made.

JSC endorsed Recommendation 3 for the addition of an introductory chapter in which various conceptual issues are addressed. LA/BL is taking the lead on the preparation of such a chapter.

JSC thanks the Task Force for its thorough report.

Return to Top of Page

The Logical Structure of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules

There was insufficient time at the meeting to consider the papers prepared by Tom Delsey on the logical structure of AACR2. However, the recommendation to use the model to assess options for restructuring Part I of the code will be pursued through the development of a prototype.

The other recommendations will be considered at the next meeting of JSC.

JSC thanks Tom Delsey for his detailed analysis of the rules. It also thanks the people who provided comments on the two papers.

Ongoing Rule Revision

JSC also considered a number of other rule revision proposals, some of which were ongoing, and some of which were being discussed for the first time. The most significant decision taken was to include a list of initial articles as an appendix to AACR2.

Latest Rule Revision Package

JSC endorsed the latest rule revision package, containing the revisions agreed to by JSC at its last two meetings. The package will be sent to the publishers in November 1999.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of JSC will be held in San Diego, California, USA, in March 2000.

Ann Huthwaite
Chair, JSC
20 November 1999

Return to Top of Page